Automatic train-pipe connecter



Jan 1931- J. ROBlNSON 1,787,455

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTER Original Filed Feb. 2, 1923 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 6, 1931 nNiTED stares PATENT OFFICE J'OSEPH ROBINSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-PIPE CONNECTER Application filed February 2, 1923, Serial No. 616,592. Renewed October 22, 1926.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic train pipe connectors, and more particularly to interchange devices for such connccters. In my co-pending application Serial No. 575,135, filed July 15th, 1922, I showan improved form of such interchange device. The object of the present invention is to improve the interchange shown in that application by providing it with means whereby the interchange will be automatically disconnected from the service position in the event the cars in'interchange are uncoupled without first disconnectingthe hose of the unequippedcar from the interchange deviceon the automatic connecter. As is well known,

't-rainmen seldom disconnect the present hand operated hose couplings upon separating the cars, but depend upon the parting of the cars to disengage them. These couplings are so designed that they will vseparate when a.

pulling stress of approximately 300 pounds is exerted upon them. While the hose of a car not equipped with an automatic connecter may, in this manner, be disconnected from the interchange device shown in my aforesaid co-pending application, no means is provided therein for automatically disconnecting the interchange from the service position upon such parting of the hose. The result is that in event a trainman neglects to disconnect the interchange device, and swing it out of the service position, damage thereto will be caused when the connecter goes into automatic service again. With my present improvement disconnection of the hose of the unequipped car from the in terchange device, as occurs when parting claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automatic train pipe connecter head provided with my improved interchange.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the construction shown in Figure 1, with the hose sect-ion and the coupling omitted.

Figure is a sectional view through the interchange device and coupling head taken onsnbstantially the line 3-3 of Figure 2. In this view the pipe and the fitting and the hose are shown in horizontal sectionas a matter of convenience, and

Figure is an enlarged detail view of the automatic locking device of my improvement.

Referring now to the drawings: Any suit able type of support, such as that illustrated in my co-pending application Serial No. 90,340 filed October 6th, 1921, and any desired form of coupling head, may be used'with my improvement. I show such a support at A and conventional form of coupling head B having forwardly extending outwardly diverging guiding prongs 5. The head has a centrally located opening into which the enlarged hollow forward end of a suitable pipe 6 is pressed as shown particularly in Figure 3. Extending into the hollow forward end of the pipe 6, 1 provide a laterally extending hollow conduit 7 directly upon the rear end of which is mounted the usual train pipe hose 8 by a clamp9, and at the other end of the conduit 1 provide an airjextended gasket 10. spring actuated pin 11 passes downwardly through the top wall of the pipe 6 into a suitable ing 12 formed on the rear side of the fitting 7, and serves to lock the fitting in the pipe, all of which is fully described in my aforesaid co-pending application Serial No. 490,340.

Hinged at the lower left side of the head I provide a plate or interchange device C, which is secured to the head by means of a projection 14: on the plate C which passes between spaced lugs 15 formed on the head, a suitable pin 16 being passed through the lugs and the projection to pivotally secure the plate C to the head. Centrally located on the plate I provide a perforated nipple 17 7 adapted to mate Withthe gasket 10. Upon this nipple I mount a short section 18 of an ordinary train pipe rubber hose, and in the lower end of this hose I suitably mount the usual hand operated hosecouplinghead 19. That end of the plate C which is opposite the end 14 thereof is provided" with a rear; wardlyeXtend-ing or overhanging portion adapted to extend over a portion of the coupling head A as shown, the upper righthand. corner of the head being out awayin the manner illustrated in Figure 2 to: receive this portion. Within the hollow of the portion 20 l mount'asuitable steel-ball 21 which is.

under the compressionuof a spring 22, the

sprin being" locked in the hollow of the per 'tion 20 by an adjustable nut 23. It will be notedth'at the nut may be adjusted in or out 7 ot the hollow of the portion 20 andthus increase or decrease the compression of the coupling numbers of mating heads, as shown in dotted lines X of Figurel. To support theinterchange in this position I provide a suit ao le l ng 244 formed integrally, the support A and I inon'ntin this a suitable hook'25 adapted tor eceive a -link' or other form of support26 pivotally cqnnected to the interchange plate C at 27 FiguresQ and 4 It will'be noted thedistance from the center of the con p'l headB to the centerofthepin- 16 upon g c, which the plate C is mounted, is considerably greater than the distance from the center of the coupling head to the point where the ball 21 contacts therewith. This is in order to facilitate automatic disconnection of the interchange plate C from the coupling head when pull occurs on the hose section 18, as in parting cars in interchange without mannailiy breakin 'the connection.

The operation of my improvement is astoi lows'z' When a car equipped with the an tonittrccoupling meets one not so equipped,

the 'terehange device orpiate G is disconnected from the hook 26f and is swung'into the position hown: in full iinesin Figare 1 theinterchange is swung into this position the: ball 21 rides over the tapered portion: 28 oi: the'eoaplin head B, against the tensionof the spring 22, into the position shown particularly in Figures 3 and 1. This operation locks the plate G in the service position with the gasket 10 tightly compressed against the rear face of the nipple 17 that is the portion of the head B against which the ball 21engages is I so shapedthat the pressure of the bail will serve to constantly draw the plate C toward the gasket 10. The hose of the unequipped car is then coupled into the hand o erating coupling 19 of the interchange G in the usual way, the short section of rubber hose 18 giving suflicient movement to the 7 coupling 19 to readily permit of this operation. Upon disconnecting the; cars without first breaking the interchange connection, which is the usual-practice, a pulling strain wil loccur upon the hose 1'8 and when this 7 strain has reached approximately 250 pounds the-hall 21 will move 'upwardly against the tensionot the spring 22 sufliciently to clear the coupling head B and thereby disconnect the plate G from: the service position. Furthermovement'of the cars will part the hand ope-rated couplings QSrwhereupon: the interchanged device C will swing or drop to the position? shown in dotted lines Y of Figure, 7

1 bend out 'o-fthe way of an opposing coupling head in coupling. Under some con-- ditions ofcoup'ling", such as on an abrupt curve, or whenone car is considerably higher than another, one otthe' opposing connecter' heads may contact with the interchange device" Clwhen-iii the position shown in dotted lines Y, but this is not objectionable inasmuch as-" ipoirsuch contact the interchange device will swing re'arwardly about its pivot 16 out of the way. When it'- is desired to manuallydisconnect theginterchange' device C from the" service positiorr s'ho'wnin Fi ure 1, it is but necessary to ta the por-=- tij on' 2 0 with air ock or other tool sufficiently the head B, areinforeement 29 b'eingpro'-. vided' outhe portion 20' to protect it against illeffects fifoin' this operation.

Having now described my said invention what if claim as new and desire to se'cureb f Letters Patent is: i

1 An'automatic-train. pipe connecter, the combination ot a coupling head, an interchange device pivoted to one side of said head and adapted toextend across the face thereof, means to clamp said interchange device against the tacexof said coupling head, aeonduit forming: apart of said interchangev device, a gasket supported on said headiand adapted to be forced into tight engagement with the r'e'artaceof said conduit by the pres'- sure oztthe train pipe fluid, and means operating automatically t'o'd i-sconnect the in" terchtange device from the service osition when ears are parted. 1

2 In: automatic trainpi pe connecter,the combination of a coupling; head, an interchange device hinged to said head atonethereof and adapted to be swung to a to break the connectionbetween the ball 21 interchange from the service position when subjected to a predetermined pull.

3. In an automatic train pipe connector, the combination of a coupling head, an interchange device hinged tosaid head at one side thereof and adapted to be swung to a position across the face of the head, a hand operated hose coupling attached to said interchange device to receive the hose on a car not equipped with the automatic connecter, a spring actuated means for locking said interchange device in the service position, said means operating also to release said interchange from the service position when subjected to a predetermined pull, and means to vary the resistance of said spring to increase or decrease the extent of pull required to disconnect said plate of the service posit-ion.

4. In an automatic train pipe connect-er, the

' combination of a coupling head, a conduit in said head, an interchange device hinged to one side of said head and adapted to be swung across the face thereof, a hand operated hose coupling attached to said interchange and having direct communication with said conduit, and spring actuated automatic means for locking said interchange in position as it is swung to final position across said head,

, said means operating to automatically release the interchange from such position upon a predetermined pull on said hand operated hose coupling, the distance from the center line of said coupling head to the point where said automatic means contacts with said head being less than the distance from the center of said coupling head to the point wherea-t said interchange device is hinged to said head.

5. In an automatic train pipe connecter, the

combination of a coupling head, a conduit in.

said head, an interchange device hinged to one side of said head and adapted to be swung across the face thereof, a hand operated hose coupling attached to said interchange and having direct connnunication with said conduit, a spring actuated automatic means for locking said interchange in position as it is swung to final position across said head, said means operating to automatically release the interchange from such position upon a predetermined pull on said hand operated base coupling, the distance from the center line of said coupling head to the point where said automatic means contacts with said head being less than the distance from the center of said coupling head to the point whereat said interchange device is hinged to said head, and means to support said interchange device out of the way of an opposing coupling head when said interchange isnot in service.

6. In an automatic trainpipeconnectenthe combination of coupling head having a conduit provided with a gasket, an interchange device pivoted to one end of said head and adapted to be swung across the facethereof, a conduit on the interchange device in alignment with said gasket, a spring actuated automatic means for locking said interchange in position across the face of said coupling head,

and means on said head to facilitate the operation of said automatic means as said interplhagge device moves to final seat across said 7. In an automatic train pipe connector the combination of a coupling head, a support for said head, an interchange device one end of which is piv-otally supported on one side of said head, said interchange device being adapted to be swung from a position behind said coupling head to a position across the coupling, cooperating means carried by said device and said head for automatically clamping said device in position when the same is swung across the face of the head, said means also acting to press said device against the face of the head, and a hand operated hose coupling attached to said interchange to connect thereto the hose of a car not equipped with an automatic connecter.

8. In an automatic train pipe connecter, the combination of a coupling head, an inter change device one end of which is pivotally supported on one side of said head, said interchange device being adapted to be swung from a position behind said coupling head to a position across the coupling face thereof, a wring-pressed member carried by said device and adapted to engage a part of said head and hold the interchange device against the face of the head when said interchange device has been swung into position across the face of the head, and a hand-operated hose coupling attached to said interchange device to connect thereto the hose of a car not equipped with an automatic connecter.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

JOSEPH ROBINSON. 

